Catford Cat Bin Drama Hits Mumsnet

It's been a week of feline drama for Celia Hammond Animal Trust. On Wednesday evening, someone in Catford posted a message to Mumsnet saying she'd spotted a cat with a couple of newborn kittens in a wheelie bin, and the next day was bin collection day... The community swung into action offering all kinds of advice and places to contact, and the thread was spotted by a Celia Hammond volunteer who alerted the local Lewisham branch. Within a couple of hours they were safe, as you can see – the tabby in this photo is that very kitty.

But they're not the only cats that Celia Hammond need homes for. They've just had to take in 30 cats from an evicted home in Belvedere and are expecting another 30-40 early next week, and this at the start of kitten season. The centre is in desperate need of homes but also 'fosterers'; people who are willing to care for a thin and nervous cat from one of these houses while it recovers (CHAT pays for all vet treatment, food and litter) or mums and kittens until the kittens are old enough to be rehomed. Not only do the rehoming centres simply not have enough space for all these cats, they fare a lot better in someone's house with more personal attention.

Last month, Wood Green Animal Shelter highlighted a 30% increase in abandoned pets over the last year (and it's tempting to wonder if the Catford cats were deliberately dumped in the bin). If you're thinking about getting a pet, remember to factor in costs like potential future vet's bills and for god's sake get them neutered. You can see some of the cats currently wanting homes at Lewisham and Canning Town (bear in mind: kittens come in pairs) and contact Lewisham on lewisham@celiahammond.org / 020 8694 6545 and Canning Town on canningtown@celiahammond.org / 020 7474 8811.